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Update on Approved and Candidate COVID-19 Vaccines in the EU

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Update on approved and candidate COVID-19 vaccines in the EU Dr. Marco Cavaleri Head of Biological Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy, EMA An agency of the European Union Outline 1 EMA response to COVID-19 pandemic - milestones 2 COVID-19 vaccines approved in the EU 3 Benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccines 4 Real world evidence on effectiveness 5 Studies in children 6 Vaccines under review by EMA 7 Adapting COVID-19 vaccines to variants 8 Additional information Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency EMA RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC Milestones in the fight against the pandemic Scientific & regulatory Rapid development & Transparency & mobilisation evaluation outreach Approval: Comirnaty, COVID-19 vaccine Moderna, COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca, COVID-19 vaccine Janssen Accelerated development & evaluation procedures WHO declares pandemic COVID-19 Experts’ Task Force Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2020 2021 1 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency COVID-19 vaccines approved in the EU 4 vaccines authorised in the EU • Comirnaty and Moderna vaccines contain a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA) with instructions for producing the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 • The AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccine uses a non-replicating adenovirus as a carrier that has been modified to produce the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2. • The vaccines do not contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 itself and cannot cause the disease. Comirnaty COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer) Moderna AstraZeneca Janssen 21 Dec 6 Jan 29 Jan 11 Mar 2 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency BENEFITS AND RISKS Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in trials All COVID-19 vaccines approved in the EU have a positive benefit-risk balance in prevention of COVID-19 disease. • mRNA vaccines show very high efficacy in trials in preventing symptomatic COVID of any severity • Viral vectored vaccines also demonstrated protection against symptomatic COVID • Since vaccines have been studied in different trials, it not possible to make direct comparison of the efficacy rates reported • Data on prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and death from clinical trials are limited but all showing a trend towards high level of protection • Currently there are limited information from clinical trials with respect to protection against emerging variants • Some Real World data with respect to prevention of infection have been reported but more data are needed for proper estimation 3 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency BENEFITS AND RISKS Positive benefit risk for COVID-19 vaccines Good safety profile, comparable to vaccines for other diseases • Most common side effects are usually mild or moderate and temporary. • These include pain and tenderness at injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain and nausea. • Very rare but severe allergic reactions have occurred in people receiving the vaccine (in less than 1 in 100,000 people) • Very rare events of severe thrombosis combined with thrombocytopenia after Astra Zeneca vaccination have occurred in around 1 in a million people, and are under investigation • Long term safety is being monitored. Full scientific details and product information: Comirnaty | COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna | COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca | COVID-19 vaccine Janssen 3 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency REAL WORLD EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS Data from the real world to complement clinical trial data • EMA plans to use Real World Evidence (RWE) from clinical practice to monitor the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines • Real-world monitoring complements EMA's regular safety-monitoring activities • RWD can inform vaccination campaigns and changes in current practise • These studies will provide information: • on how long protection lasts • how well the vaccine prevents severe COVID-19 • how well it protects immunocompromised people and pregnant women • whether it prevents asymptomatic cases and blocks transmission 4 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency REAL WORLD EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS Preliminary studies on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness 4 effectiveness studies available from Israel and UK • Preliminary assessment by EMA’s COVID-19 Task Force - early data promising: • Comirnaty: prevention of infection in Israel (92% effectiveness after 2 doses) • Astra Zeneca and Comirnaty: Substantial reduction in risk of hospitalisation in UK (>80%), but more data awaited • Comirnaty: data confirm the efficacy from the clinical trials and the booster effect of the second dose • COVID-19 Vaccine Astra Zeneca: Initial data show high protection from COVID-19, including severe disease, after first dose • In addition, emerging data from large clinical trial pointing to high efficacy including in the elderly 4 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency Studies in children • The vaccines are currently not approved for younger children: • Comirnaty can be given above 16 years of age • Moderna , Astra Zeneca and Janssen can be given above 18 years of age • Vaccines will be first tested in adolescents and then progressively in children below 12 years of age down to the youngest ages • It is not known at the moment when these data will be submitted because the studies are still ongoing. • The two authorised mRNA vaccines are recruiting adolescents at a fast pace into clinical studies 5 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency COVID-19 VACCINES UNDER REVIEW BY EMA Novavax (NVX-CoV2373) • Start of rolling review: 03/02/2021 • Protein-based vaccine containing tiny particles made from a laboratory-grown version of the spike (S) protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. • It also contains an adjuvant to help strengthen the immune responses to the vaccine 6 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency COVID-19 VACCINES UNDER REVIEW BY EMA CureVac (CVnCoV vaccine) • Start of rolling review: 12/02/2021 • CVnCoV contains mRNA in lipid nanoparticles • Large clinical trial ongoing at the moment 6 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency COVID-19 VACCINES UNDER REVIEW BY EMA Sputnik Vaccine • Start of rolling review: 04/03/2021 • Contains two different viruses belonging to the adenovirus family, Ad26 and Ad5 • These adenoviruses have been modified to contain the gene for making the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein; they cannot reproduce in the body and do not cause disease • The two adenoviruses are given separately: Ad26 is used in the first dose and Ad5 is used in the second to boost the vaccine’s effect 6 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency Adapting COVID-19 vaccines to variants • Sars-CoV-2 variants are emerging and will continue to emerge if the virus is not stopped • This requires continuous monitoring of the vaccines’ performance over time • Regulators and developers are anticipating vaccine updates to protect against variants • This can be done reasonably quickly – based on existing knowledge with annual flu vaccines - no need for large scale trials • Studies needed to approve ‘variant vaccines’ will look at comparing immune responses between people vaccinated with the parent vaccine and people vaccinated with ‘variant vaccine’ • EMA has provided guidance to vaccine developers 7 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency ADAPTING COVID-19 VACCINES TO VARIANTS Data from clinical trials on how COVID-19 vaccines protect from variants • Based on published studies, the vaccines authorised in the EU are expected to provide protection against the UK B.1.1.7 variant • In terms of mild disease, protection against the South African variant B.1.351 may vary depending on the vaccine; studies are needed to define extent of protection against severe disease and hospitalisation • For Brazil variant P.1 – no data available 7 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Pending questions on COVID-19 vaccines ? • Need for two doses for individuals who had a history of COVID-19 • Interval between the doses • Possibility to boost with different vaccines • Use in immunocompromised subjects and selected special population 8 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency ADDITIONAL INFORMATION How vaccines help to beat the pandemic • Immediate benefit for people who will be protected against COVID-19 symptoms • If fewer people are getting sick (develop symptoms of COVID-19), particularly among high risk individuals such as older people, this will alleviate the huge burden of COVID-19 disease on healthcare systems • Preliminary data from Israel, with high vaccination rate and infection rates are falling, providing first evidence of vaccines reducing spread. • COVID-19 vaccines that reduce symptomatic disease will be essential to beat the pandemic • At least initially, vaccines alone will not allow us immediately to return to ‘normal’ life, and other public health measures such as face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing will remain essential 8 Classified as public by the European Medicines Agency ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Ongoing activities • 54 vaccine developers have interacted with EMA so far • ~30 vaccine companies have interacted with COVID-ETF • 42 rapid scientific advice procedures for vaccines • Guidance for developers issued on variant vaccines • Discussions ongoing for approval of additional vaccines
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